Another segment of “What’s in the Convention Box?” this time from Fan Expo

We take a look at Ken Branch’s graphic novel – 35 Years: Will You Survive?

From a glowing introduction by Jimmy Palmiotti, you get a sense of Ken’s Passion for strong story telling.

This story sheds light on a very surreal and potential extreme, “What If” scenario that is approaching our world within itself. Extreme environmental change.

What if, the world’s oil was gone and irradiated?
What if, the ice caps in the north suddenly melted?
What if, the Amazon was in a drought and couldn’t produce oxygen?
What if, the world’s global temperature raises by 1 degree every year?

These are all very real issues that have happened or are in the process of happening, as you read this.

What makes this story by Ken Branch so entertaining and surreal at the same time?

Ken take a thought provoking approach, in the sense that the government’s of the world should be working together to solve this issue. This isn’t about one country is better than the other, even though there are major political undertones in this story.

It’s not like we can go back in time to the land of the dinosaurs… I’m looking at you Terra Nova…

The sotry is broken into four major parts:

– The US Government is trying to remain, in the story, in control while the world around them is in a continous downward spiral both economically and politcally.
– The “Steve Job’s” or “Bill Gates” of the world is trying to rally a lost and discredited, yet charasmitic political figure to bring about a world-wide change.
– The young generation with the techinical know how, find out about the world through ingenuity and limited resources to figure out a way to change the world in their own way.
– Then there is a time traveling female detective sent back to save her future, in a very Quantum Leap like moment.

The art of this book is amazing, the facial features and detail that goes into the characters are beautiful. The tones and colours in a darker, bleak out look of life in the future really sets the mood of the book. Background are all fully detailed and incredible.

You have a sense of the world reclaiming itself, while the rest of the masses are just trying to find some way to survive.

The writing is top notch, and yet, it feels like we are just seeing a small glimpse of the full story. It’s not hard to piece together mind you, but initially you have to figure it out like a good mystery.

This is a book about human nature vs. mother nature. We are our own worst enemy and we must change. The will to survive, find love, trick and deceive. It’s all about the ability to adapt.

You can find out more about Ken Branch and 35 Years: Will You Survive? here. This is definitely worth your time.